Scotland’s Albatern, is developing a pioneering floating flexible wave energy generator called WaveNET, which it says will have a market in powering aquaculture farms and remote coastal communities.
WaveNET is a scalable array of floating ‘squid’ generator units that harvest wave energy using buoyant arms that rise and fall with the waves. The system uses a hydrostatic transmission system with the hydraulic energy generated by the units gathered at a central point.
The energy is then converted into electricity through a power take-off module which transmits it to shore. Each squid can link up to as many as three others creating a floating grid.
David Campbell, CFO, Albatern, told World Fishing & Aquaculture: “We are taking four steps forward and only one step back in WaveNET's development. The main challenge we are facing is being able to compete in cost terms with existing installations.”
The company is currently working with Marine Harvest and the Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) on pilot projects to provide ancillary electric power to fishfarms. By doing this it is able to iron out any issues that may affect commercial viability.
WaveNET is currently in testing off the west coast of Scotland at the Isle of Muck. Albatern plans to build a 100Mw generator within ten years using an array of 135 of the 24m units, but it needs to secure funding first.
Mr Campbell told WF&A that the next steps forward will be to commercialise the project and to rentalise WaveNET as a way to cut down diesel power expenses for fishfarm operators.
Albatern has already had interest from Chile, Japan, Canada and Norway signalling excellent export potential for the product.
The firm develops key expertise in the analysis and design of large articulated offshore structures, hydraulic networks and MVDC electrical collection and distribution grids, as well as pioneering new mooring system designs and marine operations techniques.
Video: YouTube/Albatern WaveNET
